St. Paul daily globe., 1887-07-01
CLEMENT l.. vALLANDIGHAN1.

How the Ohio Statesman Was Re
ceived Into the Confederate
Lines.
Detroit Free Press.
One day in May, 1868, as Private S. F.
Nunnelee, of the Fifty-frst Alabama
regiment, was on picket about five miles
from Murfreesboro, Tenn, Federal
officer, entirely unattended and carrying
a flag of truce, rode up and inquired for
the officer in command, and through him
for the colonel of the regiment. Col. j.
d. Webb was on the line, a couple of
miles to the rear, and Private Nunnelee
was sent to inform him that the Feder-
ais were desirOuS of passing the noted
Clement L. Vallandigham within the
Confederate lines, as per order of the
secretary of war. This move had been
anticipated, but the Confederate gov
ernment had no desire to accept him.
Had he come as recruit for the ranks
he would have been welcome, but as
a baniShed politician he was a guest
whom no one cared to entertain. Col.
Webb took his time about riding to
the front, and as he got there Nunne-
lee was sent down the highway to in
veStigate second white flag. This
was waving above vehicle drawn by
one horse and occupied by a Federal
lieutenant and Vallandigham. The
officer was driving and the banished
politician was sitting very stiff and
as the officer drew rein. He
said to Nunnelee.
Here is Vallandigham, sentenced to
baniShment.''
And to the great politician he said:
''COme, have no time to spare"
81 protest against this outrage
solemnly protest. answered Vallandig
ham.
"Yes. but hurry up. I'll take your
trunk off. Jump down, now-good-
day"
And the officer sprang into the We
hicle, turned the horse around. and
went off at q fast trot, leaving Valland-
ighanr and the Confederate soldiers to-
gether on the highway. Previous to the
war Mr.. Nunnelee was editor of paper
at Eutaw, and Vallandigham was one of
its readers. As they stood there the
private soldier introduced himself and
the politician gave him hearty shake
of the hand and said:
what on earth are you doing here"
''In the ranks"
"And are such men as you fighting in
the ranks of the Confederate army?"
Thousands of u.s."
"Then that settles 1.-THE North can
never conquer you"
After some further talk the soldier
carried the politicians trunk into a de-
serted negro cabin quarter of mile
away and then went for his colonel.
Webb came slowly up, and as he dis
mounted at the hut the baniShed North
erner said:
s'Col. Webb, / am Clement L. Vallan-
digham, citizen of Ohio and the United
States, imprisoned, ,vilified and baniShed
from my country for my love OF liberty
and free speech.'
The colonel stiff1y answered:
''AIr. Vallandigham, as citizen of
Ohio and the United States, you are my
enemy. As one banished for his love of
liberty, for which the South is fighting
to-day, bid you welcome to the South
ern COnfederacy."
They then entered into general con-
versatiOn, lasting about half an hour, at
the end of which Private Nunnelee Sc
cured conveyance and Vallandigham
and his baggage were received inside
the Confederate lines. The incident
made quite stir at the picket
post, and could the men have
had their way they would have
headed the man for the Federal
line and obliged him to return, as they
counted far more OH muSketS than
speeches to win their cause. Mr. Nun
melee is now and has for many years
past been the editor of the Tuscaloosa
Gazette, and the incidents of this narra-
tive. never before published, were
taken from his own lips.